What subreddits are most like Ask MetaFilter?
July 12, 2022 4:11 PM Subscribe
I am especially interested in finding thoughtful subreddits where people discuss things similarly in tone to what happens here. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
AskHistorians has its merits but has extremely strict rules for participation, so I don't think you'll find the interactivity you're accusted to on MeFi over there.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:47 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:47 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
The good ones are very topical, /r/math is generally polite although obtuse(?) unless an expert, and even experts in one field are openly flummoxed on a separate topic. /r/movies are more flip but often excellent discussions with the occasional insider. /r/fusion is very slow but very good. /r/science is mixed. /r/photography is excellent.
/r/AskHistorians is really not for discussions, a question is posed and a credentialed expert expounds in detail. Then some discussion may occur.
posted by sammyo at 5:50 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
/r/AskHistorians is really not for discussions, a question is posed and a credentialed expert expounds in detail. Then some discussion may occur.
posted by sammyo at 5:50 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
/r/bikewrench is people posting pictures of issues they have with their bicycles and internet strangers trying to help out. Sometimes there will be joke posts with pictures of seriously damaged carbon frames asking if they're still good to ride and people will give jokey answers as a result but those are obvious. On the actual questions the responses all seem to be from people with some level of knowledge trying their best to help out.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:37 PM on July 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 6:37 PM on July 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Are you looking for interpersonal advice? You are most definitely looking for ”Am I the Asshole?.
posted by cakelite at 6:38 PM on July 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by cakelite at 6:38 PM on July 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
Seconding TrueHub, but that can be a bit overwhelming.
If you visit just one subreddit I'd recommend /r/TrueReddit which is heavily moderated and sticks to serious discussion about real links just like the Blue.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:44 PM on July 12, 2022
If you visit just one subreddit I'd recommend /r/TrueReddit which is heavily moderated and sticks to serious discussion about real links just like the Blue.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:44 PM on July 12, 2022
There’s certainly a cohesive character to many of these subreddits that may or may not be to your taste.
Some of the more popular subs like /r/science post a lot of nonsense content from psypost and gets upvoted into the news or popular tabs, which floods the comment section with what feels like randos who didn’t click through to the article. So it doesn’t feel as substantial a dialogue as I’m used to on the green.
I think of Reddit as more of a one off place where I can get answers or background knowledge for something specific like say /r/piercings or /r/buildapc. But I haven’t found a clique I’ve enjoyed or found cohesive enough to compare to AskMetafilter in a meaningful way.
posted by limbicdigest at 10:48 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some of the more popular subs like /r/science post a lot of nonsense content from psypost and gets upvoted into the news or popular tabs, which floods the comment section with what feels like randos who didn’t click through to the article. So it doesn’t feel as substantial a dialogue as I’m used to on the green.
I think of Reddit as more of a one off place where I can get answers or background knowledge for something specific like say /r/piercings or /r/buildapc. But I haven’t found a clique I’ve enjoyed or found cohesive enough to compare to AskMetafilter in a meaningful way.
posted by limbicdigest at 10:48 PM on July 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Cakelite, your experience may vary, but Am I the Asshole is 50% posts written to express how much the author hates fat people or autistic people, 50% posts written to generate outrage and sympathy ("Am I the asshole because I asked my mother in law to stop beating my dog with an electrical cable every night?", etc), and 100% fiction written by teenagers. I am continually blown away that commenters continue to engage in good faith- maybe they're in on it?
I've found community in small private subreddits that have spun off from people disaffected with some of the larger subreddits- in fact those are the only places I even bother with anymore, aside from reading Ask Historians. I don't have any specific recommendations as they're pretty related to my own interests and demographic but the large subreddits just generate too many comments for any real conversation to happen, and when it does it's often just nasty shouting.
posted by cilantro at 4:35 AM on July 13, 2022 [12 favorites]
I've found community in small private subreddits that have spun off from people disaffected with some of the larger subreddits- in fact those are the only places I even bother with anymore, aside from reading Ask Historians. I don't have any specific recommendations as they're pretty related to my own interests and demographic but the large subreddits just generate too many comments for any real conversation to happen, and when it does it's often just nasty shouting.
posted by cilantro at 4:35 AM on July 13, 2022 [12 favorites]
Strongly disagree with the above assessment of r/AmITheAsshole
Yes, there are some fakes that are posted, the mods are aware of this and actively work to remove them. Have not seen the fat hate or autism hate they describe.
The biggest problem with AITA for me is that, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to read about other people’s social interactions, or if someone else’s personal problems bore you, then it’s just not the subreddit for you and that’s OK.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:01 AM on July 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
Yes, there are some fakes that are posted, the mods are aware of this and actively work to remove them. Have not seen the fat hate or autism hate they describe.
The biggest problem with AITA for me is that, if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want to read about other people’s social interactions, or if someone else’s personal problems bore you, then it’s just not the subreddit for you and that’s OK.
posted by The Pluto Gangsta at 8:01 AM on July 13, 2022 [4 favorites]
/r/xxfitness covers fitness for people who are not cis men, though they are allowed if they follow the rules. It’s supportive, inclusive, and informed by science and tries to avoid the shame cultures that can surround nutrition and exercise. Actually, they handle these topics better than Metafilter….
posted by Comet Bug at 10:44 AM on July 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Comet Bug at 10:44 AM on July 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
/r/AskWomenOver30 has been a recent favorite of mine, well-moderated and definitely left-leaning. It's one I'll go to directly (instead of just seeing on my feed) to see if I've missed any interesting conversations.
posted by thoughtful_ravioli at 12:45 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by thoughtful_ravioli at 12:45 PM on July 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
There's a /r/AskGaybrosOver30 which is pretty good by Reddit standards, mostly thanks to a moderation policy and tone setting. (The main /r/AskGayBros is awful.) For gay men topics, of course, although the "over 30" part mostly seems to be a proxy for "functioning adult".
posted by Nelson at 3:41 PM on July 13, 2022
posted by Nelson at 3:41 PM on July 13, 2022
/r/AskCulinary is well-moderated and mostly thoughtful answers to specific food questions.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:40 PM on July 13, 2022
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:40 PM on July 13, 2022
/r/RedditforGrownups has been a favorite of mine for a while.
posted by DiabolicalMeow at 11:11 AM on July 14, 2022
posted by DiabolicalMeow at 11:11 AM on July 14, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by cobaltnine at 5:06 PM on July 12, 2022 [4 favorites]